1. Actually I can - the EU tore down trade barriers - which is why communists like Corbyn hate it for its capitalism.
1.a. Pre-EU the different tariffs, etc. were crippling to small countries like Ireland. Ireland was heavily dependent on exports to and imports from the UK.
1.b. bilateral trade agreements favor the more powerful party. Multilateral agreements make it a level playing field
2. If Ireland forged a bilateral agreement with a more powerful state (every single one of the EEC states with the exception of Portugal), it would be at the receiving end and have to listen to their dictates, just as it was when it was trading with the UK.
3. As to paying into the bloc for membership - what they get out of it in economy and economic heft more than compensates for it. Ireland can get the best terms from China, because it negotiates with China as part of a bloc
Repeating lies do not make them true.
Do you have anything to say about the subject of the thread?